Tonight I've been reading "Insect Development and Forensic Entomology" (a book chapter by Higley & Haskell 2009) and I'm in the section entitled "Development and Maggot Mass Temperatures." Yep. I'm reading about maggot mass temperatures in dead human bodies. Apparently the temperature inside a mass of maggots can be 90F even on a dead body that's been inside a morgue cooler for 48 hours! Even I say "gross" to that one... Plus, there can be a 6C degree drop from the center of a maggot mass to the edge. But maggots move around within the mass, so they are exposed to that whole range of temperatures.
Why does this matter? Temperature is a key factor influencing insect development, which is important to know if you're going to use insect development to estimate time of death. Wild, huh?
From www.sciencebuddies.org
--
"Who saw him die?"
"I," said the fly,
"With my little eye
I saw him die."
-Unknown author
This could be a CSI episode!
ReplyDeleteThe book,well, sounds like a real page turner.
I do like the poem!!
So ... what is the appeal or the draw of maggots to dead bodies anyway? What is their purpose in the whole cycle of stuff? Are those dumb questions?
ReplyDeleteNot dumb questions at all! Maggots are basically baby flies and almost all insect larvae have a life cycle where the juvenile stage is "eating time" and the adult stage is "reproduction time." Flies (and maggots) feed on dead/decaying material (which is why you find them in the trash and on dead bodies). And since flies lay eggs and then leave the larvae to fend for themselves, it makes sense that they deposit their eggs on a large food source (i.e. a dead body) if it's available so that the babies will have plenty to eat when they emerge from the eggs. Does that make sense?
DeleteYes. And now, mmm, what's for supper!?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the fly/maggots role in nature. Could we do without them?
ReplyDelete